FPX2.JT.2.0: ISC Plasma Caster

Concept: ISC engineers created a short-ranged warp slingshot system capable of tossing a small plasma (F, D or K) up to 50,000km.  The plasma caster may only launch these plasma types and none larger.  ISC engineers only mounted them near small torpedo launchers on the theory that larger launchers would usually be arming larger torpedoes that could not be cast.

Destruction: Plasma Casters are destroyed on Drone hits.

Arming Costs: A F-torpedo plasma caster requires 2 points of warp power to arm. A D or K-torp caster requires 1 point.  Arming energy may come from reserve power.  The Plasma Caster may fire every turn, but not within 8 impulses of a previous firing.  Plasma Casters cannot arm their own plasma torpedoes.  They can only launch plasmas armed by other launchers.

Transfer Procedure: A fully armed plasma may be transferred from the launcher to a Plasma Caster if it is associated with the launcher.  The transfer can be done before plasma launch on any impulse.  It may not be done before or after the impulse procedure in a turn.  Plasma caster and launcher associations are defined in the ship description.  Transfers must take place during Impulse Procedure.  they may not take place over a turn break.

Holding: A Plasma-F Caster may hold a plasma over a turn break for 1 point of power.  D- and K-Casters hold for the plasma for free.  If this cost is not paid, the plasma must be ejected.  The Plasma-F caster slingshot may also be held for an additional 1 point of power.  D- and K-Casters hold for 1/2 point.  Thus a Plasma-F Caster would require 2 points of power to hold both the F-torp and the slingshot.  A D- or K-Caster would hold just the slingshot for 1/2.

Launch Procedure: Plasmas launch from a Plasma Caster at the same point in the Sequence of Play as normal plasma launches.  The Plasma Caster cannot launch a plasma unless the caster itself is armed.  However, a Plasma Caster armed normally may choose to place the plasma at 0 hexes away from the ship.  This constitutes firing the plasma caster.  It would need to be rearmed normally in order to be used again.

Pseudo-Plasmas: Plasma launchers with pseudo-plasmas may transfer a pseudo-plasma to a Plasma Caster instead of a real plasma.  The pseudo is handled in all ways as a real plasma, including hold cost and caster arming cost.

Restrictions and Conditions: Plasma Casters associated with ISC lateral plasma torpedoes are integrated into the same defensive fire control system.  The Plasma Caster is effectively another plasma launcher for purposes of those rules, including the restriction on launching more than one plasma at SC 4 or larger targets.

Weapon Status:  At  WS-II or III, a Plasma Caster may start the game with the slingshot armed.  It may not start the game holding a plasma regardless of weapons status.

Balance:  
1) Reduction - Decrease the caster range from 5 hexes to 3.
2) Reduction - Eliminate the holding function for the Caster.
3) Reduction - Eliminate the Caster's ability to hold a plasma.
4) Improvement - At WS III a Plasma Caster may start the game with a held plasma.  That plasma must have been transferred from a legal plasma launcher during Turn 0.